How To Clean TOMS Shoes

So you bought a pair of TOMS Shoes. You feel warm and fuzzy inside because you’ve just helped put a brand new pair of shoes on the feet of a child in need somewhere out in the world. Not only that, you are now part of the happening TOMS trend, strutting around totally conscious of the little blue and white flag on the backs of each heel. Good for you for doing a good deed and staying fashionable all at the same time! But uh oh, Houston we have a problem. You are so in love with your TOMS Shoes that you hardly go a day without wearing them – which means dirty, stinky shoes. Not that we are saying you have stinky feet! But, lots of TOMS Shoes wearers have reported having this problem, even if they have never had sweaty or stinky feet before. Not to worry though, there are a couple of ways to remove stains and odor from your beloved pair of TOMS.

First, let’s take a look at what the TOMS Website had to say about how to clean your shoes:

“We highly recommend hand washing TOMS in cold water with a gentle detergent and let them air dry. We do NOT recommend putting TOMS in the dryer under any circumstances. Please note that fading can be expected (especially from sun exposure) and does not compromise the durability of the shoe.”

Ok, so hand washing shoes is probably not the quickest way to clean your TOMS in time for you to wear them again tomorrow, but it is most likely the best way to wash your TOMS without compromising the structure and adhesives of the shoe. However, many a TOMS Shoe fan with a blog have advised that it is possible to wash TOMS in the washer and dryer – but be careful!

Photo credit: mtorbin.blogspot.com

Here’s what to do if you are going to go the machine wash route:

Use a soft bristle brush to remove any surface dirt or dust from the shoe.

Turn your machine on to the most gentle cycle you have, either gentle or handwash cycle, and make sure the water is cold.

When the machine is half full, add a small amount of gentle detergent.

When machine is ¾ full, add the shoes.

Now there are several ways to dry your TOMS, the most recommended being to dry them in the sun. This ensures that the shoes are not torn up in the dryer, but also allows the sunlight to kill any foot bacteria that may be growing in your trusty TOMS. Some even recommend stuffing a dryer sheet in each shoe while they air dry to kill any remaining odor. If you feel that you must go the machine dryer route however, then please do remember to dry on low or on a no heat setting.

Another option is to actually do as TOMS says and hand wash your shoes! If you’re just terrified of ruining your beloved TOMS and refuse to put them in any machine cleaning unit (we completely understand your concern) then this is the way to go.

Here’s what to do if you are going to go the hand washing route:

Photo credits: mtorbin.blogspot.com & seventhgeneration.com

Use a soft bristle brush to remove any surface dirt or dust from the shoe.

Put a little cold water in a bucket or bowl and a very small amount of unconcentrated dish soap, such as Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid which can be found at stores like Whole Foods. You want just enough water and soap to make a small amount of bubbles.

Dip your brush in the water (make sure the dirt from step 1 is gone from the bristles), and placing your hand inside of your shoe, gently scrub at the material of the shoe. Scrub until you’re satisfied you have removed all the dirt and stains you can, and then allow to air dry.

For deodorizing the insides of your TOMS, put a good amount of Baking Soda in a sachet (a piece of cloth tied up to hold the contents) and place inside each shoe. You can also read our “Smelly Feet” article for more odor eating ideas.

Note: Do not sprinkle baking soda directly into your TOMS. The insole is made of leather and will become dry and brittle after repeated and direct contact with Baking Soda!

You paid for them, they make you feel good, they symbolize your contribution, so take care of your TOMS!

**Use at your own risk. These cleaning methods are strictly recommendations/suggestions and are not surefire ways to clean your TOMS. The Shoe Digest is not liable for shoes damaged while performing any of these procedures.

What if u have a old washer and you put the toms in there wood it still make a difference ? And I just got mine 3 days ago and I love them but the got really dirty from school . So should I hand wash them or the washer?

Wait, what happens if you want to hand wash your shoes, but you have tried already and the tire stains didnt come off? Im worried about them too, because im scared if the designs on them ware away. Please reply!!! Thanks. And by the way my TOMS are white too.

Hey. Thanks for the advice. I just got my toms 2 days ago and they are the blue jean toms. Will my toms get destroyed if I do the washer method? I know some pairs of toms ( like the red) fade Out so I wanna know if my toms could end up like that too. Also any other tips about drying and about the leather getting wet? Thanks.:)

You should hand wash them. The easier method is just take a wash cloth wet it in warm&cold water then add a little bit of soap,and rub it on the shoes. In side and out of the shoe.Finally let them set outside to AIR dry. I tried it worked great!!

I would definitely, wash the Toms by hand, just to ensure that I would not encounter a big problem. But my biggest concern is that my Toms are black and they have already began to fade away and I do not want them to continue to fade away. Does anyone have black Toms? If so, have you tried washing them by hand and what were the outcomes?

A friend of mine was telling me he washed his. I took a chance, washed pair of khaki and black in the washing machine on gentle cycle and dried them in the dryer on low heat and they came out fine. I do use eco friendly detergent so maybe thats why they didn’t fade. They weren’t completely dry when the came out of the dryer so, I stuck a dryer sheet in them for the next day while they dried out. Good luck!

The bonus of using a front-loading washer is that the dry time needed for your shoes will be greatly reduced, as front-load washers spin almost twice as fast as top-load washers which means less water in the material when they come out of the wash!

Also, because front-load washers use gravity instead of agitators like top-load washers, the wash cycle will be much gentler on your TOMS. And since you asked Lexie, we can assume you know what kind of detergent to use in a front-loading washer, but for the those who are unfamiliar it is strongly recommended that HE low-sudsing detergents are used.

Hope this was helpful Lexie, and again, thanks for posting!

If any of our readers have any other questions about how to clean TOMS shoes, please do not hesitate to ask! We’re here to help

Yes! The leather can dry out, become distorted, etc. We recommend avoiding at all costs but if it can’t be helped, then we would suggest patting them dry with a paper towel of a rag or something, and maybe using a hair dryer on cool or low to help the drying process along.

I got my TOMS shoes just about 2 weeks ago. I have just recently (accidentally) stained my TOMS shoes with Ketchup and mustard that dripped off my hotdog, right on top of my shoe! I tried Spot cleaning them and using Palmolive dish liquid it didn’t work to well. I can still see somewhat of a left over stain. Are any suggestions on how to remove this stain? I really LOVE my TOMS and would hate to look down and see this stain every time I wear them :/

baking soda and peroxide mixed together might as well be named Old Faithful. when nothing else seems to work, you can usually rely on baking soda and peroxide. dish soap should be used on oily stains. for example, if you drop a greasy french fry on your shoes/clothes, put dawn dish detergent on the stain, let it soak a while before washing, and the grease will come right out.

You can try mixing blue Dawn, peroxide, and white distilled vinegar. The Dawn and the vinegar are SUPER degreasers. It also doesn’t hurt that vinegar is a natural anti-everything (anti-viral, -bacterial, and -fungal) It kills everything. I use it in my entire house. Hope this helps.

I would recommend stuffing a paper towel in the shoe and rubbing some baking soda and water paste on the area. Let it sit for a few minutes before wiping with more water. Be careful not to get the sole wet!

Yeah, this didn’t help for my poor toms.
I was trying to get some dirt off the front of my shoes. I made sure to use cold water to keep the color from running (since they’re red Toms) and used a soft toothbrush to clean them. I didn’t even bother with the soap. No matter how lightly I scrubbed, the color came out. I got them two days ago too! Super bummed. :/

Lauren we are so sad to hear about your TOMS! We too cherish a pair of red beauties and would be heart broken if this had happened to them.

We’re sorry that the cold water didn’t work, some dyes are finicky like that. The only homespun remedy we are aware of for setting fabric dyes is soaking the fabric in vinegar but this has reportedly not worked for some. If you choose to try it, soak the TOMS upside down in a cold water and vinegar mix as to not get the leather insole wet.

Another tip: In the case of mustard, it might have been useful to let the mustard dry first and then take a stiff bristle brush while it’s dry and try to “scratch” the dried mustard off.

There is also the option of re-dying the fabric. Not sure how this would work. Does anyone have any suggestions for Lauren?

When my TOMS become discolored, I run over the area with a crayola marker of the same color! It works well, but you have to be careful of two things: 1. If you get caught in the rain, it may come out/ get on your feet. 2. NEVER USE SHARPIE! It is a slightly different color and makes the shoe look really odd!

Use lukewarm to cool water for wool and don’t agitate. Warm water combined with agitation and soap or detergent can felt wool! Wool is somewhat self cleaning if you put it in a sink or bucket with lukewarm water and a bit of dish detergent (Dawn and Joy brands do not leave a residue). Let soak (if your shoes are upside down, with a little gentle swishing, the dirt will drift out and fall to bottom of sink). and then fill bucket or sink with fresh water the same temperature as the wash water, that is the temp the water has become after soaking. You might want to repeat the rinse a couple times. Don’t swish them around too much. I have no idea how it will affect the soles or any leather lining. No dryer. From a spinner, weaver, knitter, and dyer of wool.

A great drying tip we have found is to put the shoes in a pillow case and safety pin the top and bottom together to create a loop. Sling the loop over the dryer door with the safety pins on the outside and add any clothes you may need to dry. Lay the case with the soles of the shoes flat against the dryer door and dry on a low or medium setting. We wouldn’t recommend high as this can really dry out the leather insole. You might want to try starting out on a low setting for 20 minutes and seeing how that does.

We have heard that baking soda works, but we would recommend steering away from the bleach as this can discolor them (even white ones). We’re going to be testing some cleaning methods this weekend so check back in soon!

As the TOMS website has stated, they do not recommend putting TOMS in the dryer at all – BUT wearers have reported this working for them, as long as the leather soles aren’t exposed to direct heat or heat for long periods of time, you should be ok.

I am super scared to wash my red toms I don’t want them to fade because i just got them a week ago a lot of websites say to hand wash them others say to wash them in the washer. I don’t know which route to take any suggestions that would be great please help! P.S. they’re dirty in the toe area.

Your fear is absolutely understandable and valid Maindi. The red dye in the TOMS classics is finicky and has bled for some of our readers (see comments above). Hold off of any drastic techniques if you can until we have more solid information.

The oil from the leather is released when my Toms get wet from anything is there any way to get it to stop or prevent it. It also makes my feet look gross and black. Slipperyness also occurs. Thanks in advance.

Same thing happens to me! What I do is set them outside in the sun with washcloths pushed firmly in them to help the leather dry out- but not become to gross! Sometimes, I add a dryer sheet in each shoe; which keeps them smelling fresh! Good luck!

Depends on if they are dyed or not. If they are, then that would be a resounding NO! If they’re cream or white, you should be ok (as long as your clothes don’t bleed). Might be better to go the hand washing route though in this situation.

One solution to drying that worked for me (since it’s too cold and not sunny) was to lay them face down over the air vent for about an hour. That dried the insoles perfectly. I also protect them as best I can by spraying a few thin layers of scotch guard on them when u get a new pair or wash them.

I was volunteering at a golf tournnament ,and out of no where it satarted to rain.Two things went wrong-I had mud all over my lite canvas colored toms and it got really hot after.so, my leather inside started to smell like it was molded.What do I do to get these problem solved?

Horrible problem to have Miram, we’re sorry you had to watch your TOMS suffer Not sure about mold, but you can eliminate moisture by drying as best you can on the inside with a rag or papertowl. Looking into this…

My problem is that I wore my canvas colored TOMS yesterday while it was raining and when they got wet the dye from my bluejeans stained them. So now they have blue stains on the them , how do I get the stain to completely come out?

Now this is a problem we know a little bit about. In our experience, jean dye is a toughie to get out. Since your toms are Canvas colored, we don’t have to worry about the material’s dye itself bleeding out. We have used Greased Lighting cleaner on multiple stains (including pen ink!) with great results. Give that a try and let us know how it goes!

Same here i have a pair of pink sparkly Toms and had juice spilled on them. The juice went straight through my Toms and inside them.I don’t know how to wash them without having the sparkles taken out…….

We have heard from readers that the red dye in the TOMS Classics tends to bleed with cleaning, so be forewarned if you have the red Classics. Otherwise, you might try the tips we give in our “How To Clean Canvas Shoes” article. Let us know how it goes!

Not sure about the methods you should use yet but what we can say: BE VERY CAREFUL! The last thing you want is a hole in your lace. We would avoid any scrubbing or abrasive cleaning techniques, you’ll probably want to spot clean by dabbing only. To be continued…

ME TOO! A tire messed up my TOMS too did you find a way to clean them out???? Ive been trying for as long as I could, and I barely got them as a gift!!! Mine are white too Please help if you have a good solution! Thanks!

hey i have black toms and i stepped in the wet grass and they got a little muddy.. i got most of it off… but some of the leather got a little wet.. i dried it with a hair dryer on high… i stuck the hair dryer inside and it mostly dries… is that okay??!

Oh please be careful Kelci!!!! A dryer on high INSIDE the shoe is way too much hot, direct heat for those leather insoles. Please read the comments and the article carefully for some drying tips, people have put some great ideas out there. If you do use a hair dryer, it is important to remember to keep it on cool. The air will circulate and help stimulate evaporation but hot heat like that will make the leather insole dry and crack and the adhesive keeping it in will become compromised.

The standard cleaning methods described in the article should help remove the stain from the logo material (luckily this is much easier to clean than the shoe material itself). If that doesn’t work, try Greased Lighting cleaner and spot clean with dabbing motions and small circles.

How do I wash my white glitter TOMS? Can I bleech them? Do the sparkles come out in the washer? I tried lighty scrubing them with a damp wash cloth and detergant and some glitter came off! Some kid stept on them on the bus, they have dirt all over the top! Help!

This is a tough one beaver. We haven’t figured out a safe way to wash glitter TOMS yet, but we definitely recommend blotting not scrubbing! If you have ever used an at home dry cleaning kit, it’s kind of the same cleaning method. You clean only at the site of the spot and you dab at it to lift out the dirt. If that doesn’t work, you might contact TOMS for recommendations.

Hey! I have a pair of silver glitter toms since last valentines day. The glitter doesn’t fall off anymore but it’s still completely covered with it. They look dirty and smell horrible! Even though I wear peds (socks) with them. I love wearing them to work because they’re so comfortable but after 8 hours of running around the drs office they smell horrible. I want to put them in our front load washer but I don’t want to ruin them. Please help!

I have blue Toms that i just got about 3 weeks ago but i have dirt on the front, on the top and it won’t come off. I used a soft bristle brush to try and gently scrub it off but that didn’t work. Any advice?
The inside of my shoe is also dirty and you can see the outline of my toes and foot, its also starting to stink and ways to help?
Thanks

Welcome to the world of TOMS! Everyone who has ever owned a pair of TOMS has had to deal with precisely these things.

First, since brushing off the dirt didn’t help, it may be time to move up to actually wet washing. Please read the comments and the article here very carefully for what has worked for some and what hasn’t. To start with, try cold water and a little soap.

As for the outline of toes and foot on the leather insole, that just comes with the territory. However, you can care for the leather insole as you would a leather shoe by washing and conditioning with the appropriate leather cleaners. This will help to remove foot/leather oil stains and will also help with the smell.

For continuous odor fighting, try putting used dryer sheets in your shoes near the toe and tucked in around the insole at the heel to help absorb the smell. DO NOT USE BAKING SODA as this will dry out the leather.

I just found mold growing in my daughters smelly Toms! Disgusting i know! I want to trash them and she says no. Is there anything i can do to clean these shoes to ensure mold removal or is the trash our best bet?

James, we can understand both yours and your daughter’s sentiments. There are some options you can try before resorting to disposal. Considering that you say the mold is on the inside of the shoe, we assume that it is around the edge of the leather insole. Since we have a mix of canvas and leather to deal with, there are a couple of things you can try.

First things first you’ll want to use a hard bristle brush (like a hard bristle toothbrush) to remove the visible mold. Do this outside on the sunny day as to not spread the spores around the house. How you proceed with be based upon whether or not the shoe is dyed. If so, use a mild soap and water solution to wash around the insole – be careful as the red TOMS tend to bleed even with this. We recommend a dabbing motion when near the sidewalls, and a gentle rub at the mold site. Again, be careful not to force the insole too much as this can pull away at the adhesive. Let air dry.

If that doesn’t work, you can try a solution of equal parts alcohol and water and rub again but in a circular motion. You’ll want to wash again with soap and water afterwards and again let air dry.

In both cases, you might consider using saddle soap as to not compromise the leather insole.

Another alternative may be to use lemon at the site of the mold and then cover in salt and let air dry, but this should only be used on non-dyed materials. Tred carefully around that dye for any option! And for to keep future TOMS mold free, make sure to keep the shoes in a well ventilated and well lit area with low humidity!

If you are worried about staining up your TOMS the first day you get them there is this awesome stuff called 10 seconds Water Repellent. This sray repels water and prevents stains!!! It works amazingly and it drys really fast and doesnt alter the color of your shoes! I bought it at a Hibbets sports store but I’m sure alot of sports and shoe stores sell it!

Hello! I have mostly white toms with purple and blue stripes. People keep stepping on my shoes, causing black smudges. Other than washing the whole shoe, do you have any tips for getting the black smudges out? Thanks – Megan

For cleaning: I recommend spot cleaning with a damp washcloth for the leather!
As for the smell, something I find to work fabulously is putting a clean dryer sheet in them when you are not wearing them. This works best if you set them out side for a while.

Sorry we didn’t catch you in time Jordan, but next time you’re in a bind like this go ahead and put them in a pillow case or their TOMS bag, sling the open side over the dryer door, and dry on low. That should help the last of the moisture to evaporate out!

Bleach probably isn’t a good idea Emma, hard to determine the results. We would recommend trying the hand washing method above first. We’ll be posting on more intensive cleaning tips soon, check back if you need further help!

So I Love my TOMS I have 16 pair in almost every color you can imagen! One of my favorite pairs are navy blue and I slipped in a puddle and got them all muddy so what I did and they look absolutely fantastic is brush off the mud when it dried and then put them in my washer and dryer on the lowest setting , after that I let them sit for a day and then I bought inexpensive leather condioner at my grocery store and then took a sponged and layered the cream on the bottom and now they look perfect!

I have washed my Toms in a front load washing machine on delicate with cold water before and had good results. I tried to set them outside in the sun to dry, but when I went out to check on them an hour later a dog had walked off with one of them!!! Luckily, after a little bit of searching around in the yard I did recover my missing shoe.

So instead of losing my shoes to neighborhood pooches I brought them in and stuck them under the refrigerator where the warm air blows out. And them rotated them after a while so that they could dry on all sides. This worked really well and I had no shrinkage or structure damage.

So word to the wise: If you leave them out in the sun, make sure you leave them where dogs/raccoons/nosey mischievous neighborhood boys can’t get to them…. OR dry them under the frige!

i think a lot of these stinky shoe/insole problems can be avoided simply by wearing footie socks, the ones that are really low cut so they aren’t visible. i could imagine if you wore any pair of sneakers/shoes without socks, how nasty they could get. the only types of footwear that aren’t meant to be worn with socks are crocs and flip flops/sandals. here’s a website where you can buy a good pair of nike footies, which i wear with the 6 pairs of TOMS that i own: http://www.famousfootwear.com/Shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?p=70802&pg=1023774

I have the white glitter Toms and they got dirty really quick. I’ve tried scrubbing them with a wet paper towel but they didn’t really do anything. Can I put them in the washer on a low setting, or will that take the glitter off? What do you suggest?

Heyy, I have the Nordstrom Exclusive Toms with the wool inside. However, the width seems a bit too wide. I’m planning to shrink them. Would it be okay to put them in the dryer? What kind of settings should I use? Please help! Thanks!

I’ve recently purchased a pair of ivory glitter toms, and naturally they’ve gotten a little dirty and discolored. Is there a shoe spray (water&stain) repellent that can be used on the toms without them losing their shine?

Hi crystal !
You should probably get a small fabric bag and put baking soda and tie it up and stick it in the shoe and it will probably take away the smell … I’m sorry to hear about you TOMS … hope this helped you!

Okay. So I have a pair of TOMS that are light gray/purple. They have gotten dirty and scuffed up at the bottom! I am afraid that putting them in the washer will ruin the bottom even more!! Do you think that it is still okay to put them in washer without any damage?

I got a pair of the black glittery TOMS for Christmas and I love them so much that I’ve barely gone a week without wearing them! Anyways, I live in California and because of all the rain lately, they have gotten really wet and the dirt from previously has become very gross on the inside and I have to try scraping it out with a wipe to clean the soles. I am wondering, if I clean them in the washer, will the sequins come off and is it okay for the leather insoles to get wet in the washer and will it get rid of the odor? thanks so much! this helps a lot!

What about Glitter Toms? How do you clean/deodarize them? I just got mine today and I am in LOVE with them… But I know with not wearing socks the Stinky Foot Monster will show his ungly head… Any suggestions?

So I was at my friends house and it was raining, i started to run in the house and i ran through the grass, and…….. I SLIPPED AND FELL!!!!!!! My clothes got dirty in mud(which was no big deal…) and sadly my TOMS got all dirty and were covered in MUDDD!!!!!!
I was VERY upset:(
And Now I Need A Solution!!!!
PLEASE HELP!!!!!
I LOVE MY TOMS AND WANT TO
CLEAN THEM SO I CAN WEAR
THEM AGAIN!!!!!!!
Please tell me the best way i could clean them….
Thanks:)

I need to clean my black canvas Toms shoes, but I am scared everyone is saying that the color faded out of them. I do not want that to happen considering i just got them three days ago. Which is better for less/NO fading or decoloring?

I’ve had my TOMS since last summer and I absolutely LOVE them. I haven’t ever tried washing them, but they do have an odor and I have to wash my feet every time I take them off. I’m nervous about washing them for the first time, but mostly afraid of the cork inside the sole bending or wrinkling, should I be worried about that? And will the colors run? I have a front loader and was thinking about machine washing on the hand washing setting then letting them air dry. I have a striped beige pair and a black and white pair. Thanks for any advice.

i have really light blue toms and i wore them to play flashlight tag in (not a good idea i know!) but now they have grass stains and a little dirt on them. i tried water, shampoo dish detergent and a brush, and it didnt make any difference. im not sure the washing machine would work and i dont want to ruin them, as i dont want to buy another pair

Hey Olivia! Sorry that happened! But just so you know all of my friends and I wash ours in the Washing Machine, and they come out perfectly fine and a lot cleaner! Hope this works, I know this response is a really long time after you posted this comment, you may have already gotten a new pair! But anywho just wanted to be of some help!

My daughter has a pair of the basic pullon style, sorry don’t know the model name. She needed white for a dance club she’s in and she like the sparkley finish so we got her those. I get the gentle hand wash part but do I need to be concerned about losing the sparkle when I clean them??

I got some canvas TOMS last summer. I was stupid enough to walk around in NYC with the awful heat and now the inside of my shoes are gross looking and smelling. How would I clean the leather of the shoes without ruining them?

i understand that i can wash my toms but i got my toms 2 days ago and the day i got them i put them on and it was muddy and i steppped in mud then i got grease on my shoe from somewhere. WHAT SHOULD I DO ?

Ok guys, I tried this and it worked perfectly. Take an old toothbrush and dip it in a mixture of water and tide or any other clothing detergent. Then scrub the sole of the TOMS and as you scrub off some dirt/foot sweat, take a Bounty and clean off the excess solution before the leather of the sole soaks it up. Your TOMS will be ready to use within a few hours or the next day. Give it a try guys, it worked for me . As for the outside of your TOMS, you should use a soft bristled brush with the sane solution I mentioned before and lightly scrub it. When you finish doing that, let your TOMS air dry inside your house. Why? Because the sun WILL affect the color of your TOMS and the dryer WILL ruin your them. Hope this helped.

If all else fails, you can feel good about passing your Toms on to the Salvation Army (or another worthy place). Go buy yourself a new pair and feel all warm and fuzzy again. You have now allowed 3 other people to have Toms!

Savannah, when the insides of my TOMS get nasty, what I’ll do is put a light detergent in some warm water (NOT hot or it’ll ruin the dye) and use either a toothbrush or washcloth to scrape out the nasty dried sweat etc on the inside of the shoe. Then, put a couple dryer sheets inside and let them air-dry in the sun. Works wonders! I would avoid the washer with sequins for sure.

I have just bought the new Floral print toms and I wore them out the other night to the bars and then got dirt all on the top of them. Would you recommend me hand washing them due to all the colors having the possibility of bleeding together? Also if I hand wash them is using spray and wash on them okay to do?

Hello! A couple things– I the brown canvas TOMS and they have been taking quite the beating. Starting with someone dropping their ice cream all over them. Then getting caught in the rain and stepping in a few unavoidable puddles. And most recently, doing a lot of work that involved wet leaves and damp sand. My TOMS are looking pretty worn right now but they’re my favourite shoes and I couldn’t possibly go a day without them! Not to mention the whole smelly feet problem you were talking about is not helping. Any suggestions? A one last question– I’m sure this holds true for a lot of TOM owners; because I wear them so often, you can totally see the weariness of where my toes are with or without them on. Is there any way to fix/ avoid this?

Most TOMS come with cardboard inserts which I put back in my TOMS after I wear them to help them retain their shape and not show toe marks. As for the smell, I usually take a couple of dryer sheets and stick them in my TOMS, and every few weeks, I take some rubbing alcohol and use it on the inside footbed. This seems to help the smell.

i just got a pair of red TOMS from my aunt, she only wore them a couple times but my grandma still wants me to wash them. Would it be okay if i put them in a top load washer with cold water and light detergent and then let them air dry? Or would that just ruin them? Help me please!! Thanks

I just bought a new pair of toms a few days ago and wore them to work for the first time yesterday. i noticed this morning that my heels were all brown, similar to the colour of the leather in the shoe. Is this normal?

Oh, and by the way, just reply on my e – mail please!!! Thank you! Please help with my white, tire stained TOMS!!! Please? they are brand new and now they are ruined they are the only pair of shoes I have!!!

DO NOT-UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES-do the hand wash with a bristle on your GLITTERY shoes. I was barley started on my first shoe and the soft bristles in the brush made my glitter come OFF my shoe! Now I have brown empty holes where white glitter should go… NOT OK! Brand new and now ruined, I wish I could fix it.

i heard if you hand wash TOMS after there dry your suppose to get a hair dryer put it on cool get baby powder and put it in the shoe and blow it out. Is that true? and is it bad if the lether inside the shoe gets wet?

I just got my toms 3 days ago I took them to school for my social and people were stepping all over my toms I was so mad
the tips of them are starting to turn white what should do?
I tied getting a paper towel and trying too dab the stuff off it didn’t work PLEASE HELP!!!!!! im going to wear them for my movin on ceremony its in 2 days

My boyfriend and I are off to Venice next week and went holiday shopping yesterday and bought a pair of Toms each….. Got home today and our puppy had broken in the spare room and demolished our shopping bags… The toms are ok but she has chewed the insoles (one from each pair).

Iwore my Toms before I was aware I had poison ivy. Is there any suggestion short of throwing them our? You can scrub leather shoes to,get rid of PI oils but I am not sure about canvas shoes. Any suggestions?

I have the Fluorescent Pink Palmetto TOMS. I got them about a week ago and they got really dirty. So, I hand washed them they way Shoe Digest said to but the pink colour faded at the tips…quite a lott . What can I put on them to keep the colour in?
Please reply!!!

i was just wondering if anyone has tried this with a pair of light blue TOMS and if it has worked for u because im kind of scared. they’ve gotten dirty from mostly just some dirt. but because they’re light blue, it makes them look really gross.

I got the natural crochet TOMS 3 days ago. They were $70 and I’d rather that not be wasted. The problem is, I stepped through some mud… I wiped as much as I could off with a rag, but they’re still somewhat dirty. It’s hard to keep them clean… I’m far too paranoid to put them in the washing machine especially because they’re brand new.
How can I clean them that won’t wreck the soles or tear at the crochet? I don’t want them to unravel or anything.
Has anyone tried anything and have any tips for me? I’m scared to try anything!
Thanks

I hand washed my TOMS with a scrub brush but i didnt know i wasnt supposed to get the leather wet. I dont have any method if drying other than air drying because im camping. Is the leather going to be destroyed?

Ok, i have been reading all the comments, and i still cam across 1 question:
Everyone keeps saying that the Leather inside will get ruined if its wet; but it will get wet if we put it in the wash. So, what do i do about that?
And my TOMS have been through a lot, like HUGE rain puddles, and a few rainstorms. they have been stepped on a number of times, and they stink terribly, the smell is very repulsive. Should I be using Baking Soda in a sheet or something?
I want to keep my TOMS looking fresh, clean and new.
Please Reply

I’m about to hand wash my TOMS in Dr Bronner’s pure castile soap! I’m going to wash the outside as recommended here, then for the leather inside I will put a couple of drops on a cloth and rub thoroughly. The oils in the castile soap should keep the leather from drying, while giving it an amazing smell I’m then going to use Bicarbonate of soda (which is also an amazing deodorant btw!) in a sachet to keep odour away in between wearing them Let me know if any of you want to know how I get on with Dr Bronner’s soap. p.s. I just bought my 3rd pair of TOMS! LOVE LOVE THEM!!!

My mom recently cleaned my red toms shoes. She used a shoe shampoo thing and water. The shampoo is suppose to be okay for all shoes but on the inside of my toms there are red stains. She also got water on the leather on the inside. We couldn’t put them outside yesterday because of the rain so now they are still damp and currently outside (its a nicer day today). Is there any way of getting the red stains out of the inside? Are my toms going to be okay?

HELP!!!……..
.
.
My TOMS stink! Washing them
By hand is deffo not
Going to work lol. I’ve
Only had them for just over a month and can’t bare being without them! I
Would
Rather my feet stink than be without them! Ha ha! I have just fount a site with toms for 28quid so I’m gona pollute my house a little
Longer with the stink untill my new ones arrive and then I
May consider putting my old ones in the washing
Machine ha ha! I will let
You all
Know
How
It goes

This is a great point Samantha, we understand that the directions are a bit redundant. It’s really up to you if you want to risk putting the shoe in the wash where the leather will get wet, the thing about it is though is how the leather dries. A gentle cleanser and conditioner for pig suede (which is what the insole is made out of) is an alternative to machine washing. Though the stains on the insole will not come out nor can you really protect them from setting in in the first place, it’s a good way to keep the leather as clean as possible and thus a bit fresher. Exterior cleaning using the hand washing method is also your best bet if you’re nervous about throwing the shoes in the wash. If you do decide to try the machine, just keep an eye on the adhesive below the insole.

Can anyone here provide any insight into how to repair or strengthen an insole adhesive?

I just bought my tons. They are aqua blue. My nephew was over n got into my markers. He left a blue one open next to my find. It was touching the fabric. Now my heel is turned blue. Any idea how to get it out. Uggghhhh.

I have a pair of the neon pink TOMS. I was running through the airport and some suitcase tires ran over my toms. I’m worried the color will fade if I wash them and I just got them last week. Has anyone else tried washing them and/or have any advice about the best way to clean them without fading the color?

Well you can put feet deodorant on your feet before you wear them,I prefer Dr.Scholls.To get rid of the smell already in them you might want to put them in the laundry on a low setting with a gentle wash cycle with a gentle detergent.Then after if they are still smelly put a strong purfume on them it worked for me

I have a pair of black multi glitter TOMS, and it has been raining here so much. I went in my best friends backyard with my TOMS on and there was mud everywhere, so all along the edge of my TOMS is mud. What do i do to get it off..?

I bought a pair of Toms canvas shoes when I was out of town. After I was home and wanted to wear them the first time, they had a terrible strong skunk odor! Can’t find anyone that has had this problem. Tried spraying them with Odorban every day for a week, dryer sheets, newspaper. Still have odor. Never heard of such a thing. Help!

I have Toms that are like a newspaper design that says “Carpe Deim” a ton of times and I just recently accidentally got them rain drenched. They were super wet, and so I set them out to dry. Now they’re all stiff and not at all the soft material that they were. Is there anyway I can fix it so that they’re back the way they were?

Hi. I just successfully washed my toddler’s sparkly pink toms in the washing machine. It is a front loader and I used the Tom’s canvas bag. I washed them in cold water with TiDE cold water detergent in the gentle cycle. Air dried. No loss of sparkles. My daughter had an accident and I needed to thoroughly remove the urine from the shoes. I was so worried that they would be ruined since these are her absolute favorite.

I have a pair of green toms and they got a white spot on one side.. So I grabbed a face cloth and lightly tried to rub it out because I figured if I cleaned it too much it would fade. It ended up fading anyways! So I just wanted to know how to get the colour back or even out the fading?

I’ve had my toms for a while and never had problems or had to clean them but they look faded is this just dust or are they faded and if they are faded is their a way I can clean them or do I need to buy a new pair? I love my toms and would hate to have to throw them away oh and they are navy !!!

I don’t have seventh generation detergent I have Palmolive can I use that to hand wash my toms or I have laundry detergent called “just the basic”it’s a Cvs brand could I use that to put in my washer machine and I have a delicate cycle on my washer machine

Ok, so I actually went ahead and washed my 1 year old, very stinky TOMS (Navy Canvas Classics) very successfully. Here’s what I did:
- I sprinkled some eucalyptus oil on the leather innersole of the shoe (6-8 drops, be liberal)
- I placed them in a lingerie bag and in my front-loading washer
- I used normal clothes washing detergent and fabric softener, I placed half a capful of eucalyptus oil in with the fabric softener
- I washed them on a normal cycle (with nothing else in the machine)
- Left them to dry on my windowsill, in afternoon sun
Here is some extra info:
- It seems to me that TOMS fade more from the sun than from washing. Washing them did not fade them any further at all (remember mine are a year old)
- The leather innersole seemed fine after washing and drying, it did not go ‘hard and crispy’ as it could have. If it did I would simply rub some olive oil spray into it later with a paper towel (easy!)
- Any ‘stains’ that end up on the innersole from dropping eucalyptus oil onto it disappear in the wash, so no oil stains either
- This process has all but eradicated the stench and I would do it again without a worry
- I would think twice before washing prints, remember, mine were plain.
Hope this helps, good luck!

I have a pair of the artist painting TOMS and they got this black stain on the top of them. I’m afraid if I hand wash them that the paint strokes could come off. What do I do to get rid of the stain without ruining the design?

My TOMS are university red rope sole. I got them for less than a month but they were really dirty and I just accidentally stepped in the mud, so I decided to handwash them. But after that, the red bleeded on the white part and dirt barely came off. It looks so obvious especially with the tag at the back. It turned pink! I don’t know what can I do to remove those stain. Someone please help me.

I have the black wool lined Toms that I got quite a few months ago. I have no idea how I would wash them or even just deodorize them. They are very worn, and the wool inside has turned sort of black from the everyday wear during the fall/winter months. I really want to know how I would wash them, or if anything ( If you can’t wash them.) What are some good ways to deodorize them?

Um, I spilled pumpkin oil on one of my burlap Toms – like in the picture. I am here to tell you that getting them wet…..yes with cold water……WILL cause them to shrink. My right shoe shrunk enough to make it uncomfortable. Don’t know if it was the lining, or the burlap or both. Plus, the stain didn’t come out using Tide to Go or dish soap. Bottom line – I just had to order another pair. I’m thinking some sort of stainguard may be the only way to go depending on which Toms you have.

I just discovered this GREAT trick today. After washing your TOMS (whichever way you do that) Put a dryer sheet in each shoe and then put them outside in the sun for as long as it takes. The dryer sheets take care of the smell. I had a bit of minor flooding in my area yesterday and I was outside getting stuff when my TOMS then became drenched. Today I realized they were still wet after just sitting on the counter overnight. I have them in the wash now, and then I am going to put them outside with the dryer sheets in each one to help with the smell (the dryer sheets get rid of the moldy water smell and put in a temporary smell of flowers or whatever. Then the TOMS just go back to “normal”.) If it is bad weather in your area, put them over a vent or in front of a fan. There are even a few SAFE ways to put them in the dryer. I am so happy that I have a front loader. In my opinion I believe it makes it easier. Cheers

I washed my red classics this weekend. They smelled badly because I don’t like to wear socks with them. I washed them in an old, top loading washer. My water choices are hot, warm and cold (seriously, it’s that old). I used cold water, about 2 T of liquid detergent and put the shoes in a lingerie bag. I washed them alone, in case the dye ran. They came out perfectly, the lining was clean and the dye didn’t bleed. I stuffed them with dryer sheets and white acid free tissue paper and dried them on my patio (hot day, but out of direct sunlight). They small great! The leather insoles are fine and they didn’t fade. They did shrink a tiny bit, but stretched back out after one wear.

I have white Toms which I absolutely pair with everything in the summer. However, they pick up every little piece of dirt. So , after being stepped on by someone, I finally caved and had to clean them. I made a paste out of some Oxiclean and wet the tough stain spots and then tossed them in the washer ,after a half hour of letting the paste do its magic, on the cold setting. Then I put them in the sun to dry. They came out so bright ! Can’t wait to wear them like new again !

I got the navy TOMS a few weeks ago and have loved wearing them ever since. Last week however, I accidentally brushed one of my feet up against a cement curb as I was walking and now there is a white ‘cement paint’ stain on my shoe. I tried getting rid of the stain with soap and water, with vinegar, and mild detergent…but it’s still there. Any recommendations for this, or is it pretty much permanent? I guess cement is pretty permanent anyway…

So I’ve had my toms for about a month now ( not to mention I wear then everyday) and they are the lace/ crocheted ones in the white/ natural color. I had a party last Saturday and I got grass stains all over the front. My question is: what is a fast way to wash toms?!? I seriously need help I have another one this Saturday I need to wear them to

I would try a Dryel pen. They are fantastic, I used one to get a lot dry blood out of fabric. It was gentle and took every last bit of the stains out,( joy of kids getting nose bleeds during the night). I got mine in Walmart in the section where they sell all the travel size shampoos, etc. It cost $3.97 Canadian I believe, but went along way and was worth every penny.

Try a toothbrush and some toothpaste! I had my doubts that I would ever get my dang shoes clean until my mom took a toothbrush and toothpaste to my shoes and they cleaned right up! Just let them air dry after.

I followed the directions in order to clean my pair of toms . As they were drying I noticed that they turned my leopard toms yellow. The seventh generation dish liquid, nail brush, and cold water didn’t work. Now I have to throw them out and order a new pair.

There was a mishap at work and my RED TOMS got pulled pork grease on them i tried using tonic water and it faded part of my shoe and i am nie afraid to put them in the wash for say the fad even more the grease stains havent come out and im super bummed

after i washed my tom shoes , it became faded . the color of my tom shoes is red . I only used hand washing to my tom shoes. what I am going to do to bring back its color. please help me ! because i just i just bought it recently.

So I have the TOMS with the quote “be the change you want to see in the world.” & I love them so much. I’ve had them
A week & there so dirty & I don’t know what for. If I wash them will they fade? Will they fall apart? I can’t afford another pair & I’m in love with them! Help. ?!

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